


Elves At Work

by venomandchampagne (sushibunny)



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Attraction at first sight, Caroline Ships It Too, Did I Mention This Was Pure Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Klaroline As Parents, Klaus Needs To Watch More Movies, So Does Klaus, The Kids Ship Klaroline, but not together - Freeform, or maybe not, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 21:37:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5556443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sushibunny/pseuds/venomandchampagne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline and Klaus are both single parents whose daughters are best friends. The two parents have never actually met each other, but it seems like that is all about to change one December night. Surely it's just coincidence, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Elves At Work

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dani_grl82](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dani_grl82/gifts).



> Happy Holidays Dani! One of your prompts really inspired me and I hope I was able to give you some cute fluff that you enjoy! :)

“Daddy sit here, it's the best seat!”

Caroline glanced up from her perusal of the program in her hands at the voice, eyes widening as she found herself looking up into strikingly blue eyes. Before what she was doing could be considered blatantly staring, she tore her eyes away, trying to ignore the way her heart sped up as she took in the pleasant sight of a very attractive blonde man standing in front of her before she finally looked down for the source of the voice. A familiar brunette head of curls smiled at her.

“Hi Miss Forbes! Can my Daddy sit with you? I want him to be able to see me real good!”

Caroline had to smile at the little girl who was her daughter's best friend, but before she could get a word out the handsome man spoke up.

“Now, Viktoria, I'm sure Miss... Forbes, was it? I'm sure Miss Forbes doesn't want to sit next to a stranger. There are plenty of other seats-”

“Daddyyyyyy!” came the predictable answering whine.

Caroline chuckled before answering. “Actually it's fine, I don't mind.”

The man paused, looking at her hesitantly. “Are you sure, love? I wouldn't want to intrude, especially if you're saving the seat for someone...?”

She fought back a blush at the pet name said in that accent coming from those lips; it would have been enough to make her younger self swoon. “No, it's just me. And you can call me Caroline, by the way,” she said, offering her hand.

Instead of shaking it, her new crush brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, maintaining eye contact the entire time. It was enough to send shivers running down Caroline's spine.

“Caroline,” he said softly, the heat of his breath on the back of her hand enough to cause her to lose the battle against her blush. “My name is Klaus.”

“Ah, the infamous Klaus,” Caroline teased, pulling her hand back and trying to ignore the way it still tingled from his breath. “Viktoria raves about you, you know. I almost expected you to be some sort of supernatural creature.”

Klaus smiled at that, looking down at his daughter with nothing short of pride. “Not quite, but I'm glad to hear she seems to have a higher opinion of me around other people than at home.”

“Daddyyyyyy!”

Both parents grinned at the protest, Klaus finally shrugging off his coat before taking the seat next to Caroline.

“Go on and join your class, sweetheart. I'll meet you in the lobby after the pageant,” Klaus said, giving his daughter a wide smile and returning the hug she gave him before running off.

“I'm Aria's mother, if you didn't know,” Caroline began, turning to face him before an awkward silence could settle in. “I'm actually surprised we haven't met before, the girls spend so much time together.”

“My work keeps me rather busy, unfortunately. My sister Rebekah ends up caring for Viktoria when I cannot, thankfully. I'm sure you've met her,” he said.

“Oh, I've met her,” Caroline muttered tersely before her eyes widened in embarrassment as she realized she had said that aloud. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by that. She's just...”

“An acquired taste?” He asked with a grin. “Don't worry, love. Rebekah takes some getting used to.”

Caroline laughed softly, glad she hadn't offended him. “If you say so.”

“I must say, I do regret not having had the opportunity to meet you before tonight,” Klaus added, meeting her eyes. “Though I almost feel like I already know you. Viktoria raves about you, too.”

Caroline smiled at that. “Well, she's a great kid. I couldn't ask for a better friend for Aria.”

Before Klaus could continue their conversation, the auditorium lights dimmed and the audience grew quiet as Jingle Bells began to play and the first group of elementary school students danced onto the stage.

* * *

 

Caroline had found it rather difficult to concentrate on the performances that night. With such a handsome and seemingly nice man sitting next to her, she was understandably a bit distracted, especially considering it had been almost a year since her last date, and that had been a right disaster. So really, who could blame her for feeling a little frazzled with someone who was most definitely her type sitting inches away?

And of course he was also a gentleman on top of everything else, offering her his hand to help her up when the holiday pageant had ended and the audience was making its way to the lobby. Klaus continued to walk with her and keep her company, continuing their idle chatter while they waited for their daughters to appear. Caroline was quite pleased to hear that Klaus was just as single as she was, his hectic work schedule on top of being a single parent like her making it difficult for him to maintain a relationship. And she didn't think she had imagined the pleased look in his eyes when she had mentioned her single status as well. Not that she would ever do anything about that, of course.

“Mommy!”

“Daddy!”

Both grownups turned at the sounds of their children's voices, smiles crossing their faces as they took in the sight of two elves running at them.

“Aria, no running indoors!” Caroline chastised gently, her grin taking the sting out of her words as she bent down to give her daughter a big hug. “You girls did great tonight! I've never seen two better elves in my entire life.”

“Really?” the brown eyed blonde asked, grinning a gap-toothed smile up at her mother.

“Of course! Your dance was my favorite of the night. Klaus' too,” Caroline added, winking up at him.

Klaus smiled down at her as he held Viktoria in his arms. “Indeed. I almost thought you were really elves and not little girls for a moment.”

The girls giggled at that, clearly enjoying that idea.

“That's silly, Daddy,” Viktoria giggled, squirming in Klaus' arms until he set her back down on the floor.

“I suppose it is,” he chuckled, sharing a smile with Caroline. “We should get going though, Viktoria. You know how your Auntie Bekah gets if we keep her waiting too long.”

“But Daaaaaadyyyyy! Can't Aria come too? The holiday party will be so boring without anyone to play with!”

Klaus gave his daughter an indulgent grin. “You say that, but you and Uncle Kol always manage to spend a great deal of time 'playing.'”

“But he's not a kid!” Viktoria pouted, face scrunched up.

“I beg to differ,” Klaus muttered under his breath before he turned his head to look at Caroline, who had been silent through the entire exchange. “Caroline, I-”

“Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude on your family festivities!” Caroline said quickly, holding her hands up and waving him off. “We can always set up a play date for the girls after the holidays.”

“But Mommy-!”

“Aria, it's rude to interrupt when people are talking.”

“Actually, Caroline, I was going to ask if you two would like to join us,” Klaus interjected, grinning when he saw her cheeks turn pink. “Viktoria is the only child in our family, besides my older brother's twins who aren't even crawling yet. It would probably save us a lot of mischief if she had a playmate, one who is less prone to pranks than my brother Kol. And I would also like to get to know you better,” he said, his own face beginning to flush. “Since our daughters are such good friends, of course,” he added quickly, clearing his throat as he averted his eyes from hers.

“Oh, uh,” Caroline stuttered, unsure what to say.

“Pleeeaaaase! Say yes, Mommy!”

It seemed Aria didn't share her mother's hesitation.

Caroline frowned down at her daughter before she looked searchingly at Klaus, seeking the telltale signs of a parent who was being forced into doing something for the sake of their child and thankfully finding none. “Well, if you're sure, I suppose we could-”

Caroline was interrupted by wild cheering coming from the two girls, who were now jumping around excitedly.

“Come on Ary, let's go!” Viktoria cried, pulling her fellow elf across the lobby towards the exit.

“Viktoria!” Klaus called, pleased to see the two slow down in response and wait for them at the doors. “I hope you don't mind.”

Caroline glanced at him as they walked. “Oh, no, it's fine! We didn't have any other plans, and I know how much Aria loves Viktoria. And I agree we should get to know each other better. It would be a shame to waste such an opportunity... For the girls, I mean!”

Klaus smirked at her rush of words. “Of course.”

They made it to the doors just in time to catch snippets of the girls' conversation; something about a plan working and needing to find some mistletoe next. Caroline frowned in thought as she and Klaus followed the two conspiratorially whispering girls, who kept glancing back at them and giggling, down the sidewalk before it suddenly clicked and she turned to Klaus with a groan.

“I think I know what this is all about.”

He turned to her with a questioning look. “What is?”

Caroline sighed heavily, nodding at the girls as they asked silent permission to cross the street into the parking lot ahead of her and Klaus, watching them carefully before she looked at him again. “I made the mistake of letting the girls watch The Parent Trap last week and now I think we are paying for that mistake.”

He sent her a curious look. “I'm not familiar with that movie.”

Caroline almost snorted. “Well, you're about to be.”

Klaus looked even more confused before he set about extricating Viktoria from Aria and gave Caroline directions in case she lost sight of his car. When his hand touched hers as he opened her car door for her and their eyes met for one very long moment, Caroline found she really didn't regret letting the girls pick that movie after all.

 

 


End file.
